Starting the Engine: The Beginning of Fast Lane Chicago

"If you no longer go for a gap that exists you are no longer a racing driver." — Ayrton Senna, 1990

This mentality has sparked so much passion and drive in racing, but also helped fuel my desire behind Fast Lane Chicago. When coming up with the concept my major focus has always been on the "gaps" in the marketplace, and where I can fill those gaps to provide an unmatched customer experience. While I've never had the chance to sit behind the wheel of a race car and go wheel to wheel against competitors, it is my goal to make racing accessible to anyone, not just those whose parents were able to put them in a kart at age 3. My name is Zane Mooneyhan, and this is Fast Lane Chicago.

A Short Personal Introduction

From a young age I have always had a passion and intrigue for cars, my dad had many GM muscle cars, a few F Body Camaros, but none more beautiful in my eyes than his 2001 Trans Am WS6. When it was his weekend and he picked me up from school in that car, there was no greater feeling. This planted a lifelong seed in me that I have carried on until today. My brothers an I built a go kart with a lawn mower engine and frame we got for free and used to zip around the front yard, but we never had the resources (or the knowledge of how it worked) to actually be involved in racing. My home town had a dirt racing track we used to go to on occasion and it was just about the most exciting weekend event we could have. This has been a huge line of inspiration for me in the start of this business; accessibility. I want racing and car culture to be something that can be enjoyed by anyone, and to create a 3rd space where a community can grow and develop. This project combines two of my biggest passions in cars, and technology. Although my professional history thus far has been as a Chef, I am putting everything I have into bringing this concept into a reality.

Why Sim Racing, Why Now

For me, Sim racing provides a perfect blend of racing, technology, and competitive focus to be able to bring racing to anyone who sits down. They are, however, not without limitation. Simulators can get very pricey very quick, and most people (especially in the city) don't have the space for a full blown sim rig in their home/apartment. That's where Fast Lane Chicago comes in. By providing the simulators and the place to compete we bring another layer of accessibility to racing competition. Sim racing provides an accessible alternative to expensive track days, racing licenses, building your way up through grassroots and regional leagues. Just sit down, and race. Through racing simulation our goal is to bring a new age of competition, community, and fun to anyone willing to give it a try.

Where We Are Right Now

I am currently building out this venture alone, and if you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm not and independently wealthy guy, so I have to start small. Currently Fast Lane is starting as a pop-up style format, bringing racing to some of your favorite Chicago venues. We are still fleshing out a meta system to allow for leader boards, competitions, championship series, and much more. But the pop-up format isn't just a small start, it's also our proof of concept, and our trial and error. Through these events we actually get to engage with and build the community along the way, and see where we need to improve. While our start is small, our ambitions are big, and we want you to be here to follow us in this journey.

Where We're Headed

The ultimate goal is of course to have a fully functioning brick and mortar competitive lounge with leagues, tournaments, championships, and a place to hang out and make friends. While we aren't there yet, our goal is clear, we are just a few laps behind the finish line.

Why I'm Writing This Blog

Fast Lane Chicago is not primarily a sim racing venture, it is a community venture. Our primary goal is to build, maintain, and grow a local community of car and racing enthusiasts, to provide a much needed 3rd space where people can relax, socialize, and compete. Being that this is a community project I want you guys to be here with me along the way, I want to document my successes, my failures, and everything in between. Just as I want this community to grow I want to document my own growth alongside Fast Lane, into what it ultimately becomes. I look forward to seeing all of you in the fast lane.

-Zane Mooneyhan, Founder, Fast Lane Chicago